China Radio: U.S. Midterm Elections

I was on China Radio International (CRI) this morning, discussing the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections, and the political outlook going forward. My fellow guests were Michael Mezey, political science professor at DePaul University, and John Kenneth White, presidential scholar and politics professor at American Catholic University in Washington, DC. The show lasts an hour, and you can listen to it here.

Some of the questions we considered were:

Will Republican control of the House mean more gridlock, or greater bipartisan cooperation?

What strategies are the Democrats and the Republicans likely to employ to gain the upper hand?

Will Republicans be able to deliver on promises to repeal Obama’s health care plan? Should they try?

What role did money (in particular third-party ad spending) play in the election this year?

What are the main challenges Republicans face going into 2012?

Will more powerful political opposition at home distract President Obama from foreign affairs?

Based on Democrats’ performance this year, is Obama destined to lose in 2012, or can he be reelected?